The Iowa Hawkeyes are no strangers to being ranked. With 26 appearances in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, 26 seasons finishing in the AP Top 25 poll, 357 total weeks ranked, and 11 weeks ranked as the No. 1 team in the country, Iowa knows what it takes.
Since 2016, Iowa has appeared in the AP Top 25 preseason poll four times with the highest being No. 17 in 2016. Every season since 2015 has seen the Hawkeyes ranked at some point inside the AP Top 25 aside from last year. A bit of a rarity for Iowa to not have a number next to their name, they will look to return to the polls this upcoming fall.
Plenty believe Iowa will be among the top 25 teams in the nation, but the discussion of where makes things interesting. CBS Sports has put the Hawkeyes among the most difficult teams to rank in preseason polls.
Brian Ferentz is back as offensive coordinator, but now with a contractual call for improved scoring on offense. However, the decision to move Iowa into your preseason top 25 can’t just be for the expectation that 25 points per game is attainable, but rather why the Hawkeyes might be able to take a step forward on offense. That main reason comes in the form of Michigan transfer Cade McNamara, who is arguably the most talented quarterback Iowa has had in years.
The defense should be elite once again, and that combination of factors has the Hawkeyes as high as No. 17 in the preseason rankings. But there’s also a No. 22 and a No. 26 among the opinion rankings, and the power ratings are even less friendly in part due to recent offensive history, with SP+ placing Iowa at No. 29 and other models going even lower. Iowa has made a habit of remaining in the thick the Big Ten West race even with lowly offensive production, but when it comes to being compared to the rest of the country it’s going to take that offensive improvement for the Hawkeyes to make it into the top 25. – Chip Patterson, CBS Sports
If Iowa can get some offensive output, they should become a mainstay in the top 25 this season due to excellent special teams and defense. And, if preseason rankings are based on expectations, hype, and a lot of “what-ifs,” then the Hawkeyes deserve to start this season ranked. If their offensive “what-ifs” can fulfill even most of the expectations, there will be a dramatic offensive improvement.
Other teams that CBS Sports featured among its most difficult teams to rank included USC, Clemson, Tennessee, TCU, Texas A&M and Kansas State.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Riley on Twitter: @rileydonald7